Wikipedia, one of the internet's most widely used sources of free information, is now incorporating generative AI into its editing process. However, this development does not mark a shift toward replacing human editors with automated systems. Instead, the Wikimedia Foundation aims to enhance the efficiency and capabilities of its dedicated volunteer and largely unpaid workforce. On Wednesday, the Wikimedia Foundation announced its plan to integrate AI tools designed to assist editors in reducing workload and improving quality control. Chris Albon, the Director of Machine Learning at the foundation, emphasized that the goal is to support human editors rather than replace them or automate content creation. Specifically, AI will help tackle tedious and time-consuming tasks such as background research, translation, and onboarding new volunteers. This move is part of the foundation's broader efforts to lighten the load on its volunteer contributors. Over the years, the Wikimedia Foundation has introduced various features to streamline the editing experience, including legal protections against harassment campaigns, particularly those orchestrated by right-wing groups. Despite these improvements, the volume of information and content on the web continues to grow exponentially, far outpacing the number of active volunteers available to manage it. The strain on Wikipedia's infrastructure due to increasing bot traffic has become a significant concern. Earlier this month, the foundation unveiled a new initiative to create an open access dataset of "structured Wikipedia content." This dataset, optimized for machine learning, is intended to provide AI developers with a version of Wikipedia's content that can be used without directly accessing the live site, thus preventing bots from overwhelming the服务器. According to the foundation, bot traffic has surged to the extent that it has doubled the server's bandwidth consumption, posing a serious threat to the site's performance and reliability. By providing a structured dataset, the Wikimedia Foundation hopes to mitigate the impact of AI bots and ensure that the main Wikipedia site remains primarily a resource for human users. This strategy underscores the foundation's commitment to maintaining the integrity and usability of the platform while embracing the potential benefits of AI technology to support its community. Albon further outlined the principles guiding this integration: a human-centered approach, prioritizing human agency, and utilizing open-source or open-weight AI to maintain transparency. The foundation will also adopt a nuanced approach to handling multilingual content, ensuring that AI tools serve a diverse global audience effectively. In summary, the Wikimedia Foundation's decision to integrate generative AI into Wikipedia's editing process reflects a strategic effort to balance the demands of a growing knowledge base with the limitations of volunteer availability. By automating routine tasks and providing a structured dataset for AI use, the foundation aims to preserve the human touch that defines Wikipedia, while also preparing the site for the challenges and opportunities presented by advanced technology.